Player pneumatic



E. R. SMITH PLAYER PNEUMATIC Dec. 8, 1925.

Filed July 12. 192

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5dr] 2-51mi];

[rarer/tar V Arc'omqyf 3 Dec. 8, 1925. 1.564.454

E. R. SMITH PLAYER PNEUMATIC Filed July 12'. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eta?2:1, 4

Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL B. SMITH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

PLAYER PNEUMATIC.

Application filed July 12,

i is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to piano players and particularly to the pneumaticactions thereof and the principal object ofmy invention is to provide anew and improved pneumatic for this purpose. In the drawingsaccompanying this specification and forming a part thereof I have shown,for purposes of illustration, one form which my invention may assume. Inthese drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross-section through the piano player mechanism,

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of that portion of the player mechanismcomprising the chest and the pneumatics,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through one of thepneumatics,

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the pneumatics, while Figure 5 is aview showing the parts of the pneumatic separated from each other.

The action herein disclosed comprises a plurality of pneumatics 11 eachprovided with a rigid metal duct 12 extending therefrom and connected bymeans of a flexible duct 13 to one aperture 14 of a tracker bar 15arranged to cooperate with the note sheet 16, and each provided with aprojection 17 operated by a bellows portion of the pneumatic and itselfarranged to act through a rod 18 to operate one of the hammer actions19.

Each of the these pneumatics comprises a base member 20, an intermediatemember 21 positioned upon the base member 20, and a cover member 22positioned upon the intermediate member 21. The base member is providedupon its upper surface with a chamber 23 connected by means of a duct 24to the rigid duct 12 leading to the tracker bar 15 and closed by meansof a flexible dia phragm 25 of any suitable material such as leather.The intermediate member 21 is provided on its lower surface with achamber 26 registeringwith the chamber 23 of the base member 20, openingthrough the upper face of the intermediate section 21 by means of anaperture 27 in the intermediate section 21, and opening through one endof the pneu- 1924. Serial No. 725,597.

matic 11 by means of a duct 28 arranged to coincide with an aperture 29in the chest 30 when the pneumatic 11 is in position upon the chest 30.

The cover member 22 is provided on its lower face with a chamber 31 incommunica tion with the aperture 27, opening to the exterior through anaperture 32, and connected, by means of a duct 33 in the intermediatemember Y21 and a duct 34 in the base member A 20, to a recess 35 in thelower face of the base member 20 communicating with an aperture 36 in aboard 37 fixed to the lower face of the base member 20 and forming theupper board of a bellows 38 which comprises also a lower board 39,hinged at 40 to the upper board 37 and carrying the projection 17, and aflexible closure 41 forming the end and sides of the bellows and securedto and bet-ween the boards 37 and 39 in any suitable manner.

Positioned within the recess 31 in the cover section 22 is a valve 42having an upper face 43 arranged to close the aperture 32 connecting therecess 31 with the exterior, having a lower face 44 arranged to closethe aperture 27 connecting the re cess 31 with the recess 26 in theinterme diate member 21, operated by gravity from its position closingthe aperture 32 to its position closing the aperture 27, and operated inthe reverse direction by the upward action of the diaphragm 25 againstthe lower end 45 of a valve stem 46 which depends from the valve 42 andis provided with a plurality of ribs 47 fitting within the aperture 27to guide the valve in its movement and hold the valve againstdisplacement.

The duct 28 is directly connected with the recess 23 through a bleedaperture 52 and the various fixed members of the pneumatic are securedtogether in any suitable manner as by gluing.

It will oe understood that when the note sheet 16 opens the aperture 14in the tracker bar 15 air enters through the flexible duct 13 and rigidduct 12 and connecting duct 24 into the recess 23 in the base member 20and raises the diaphragm 25 to raise the valve 42 and thus close theaperture 32 connecting the recess 31 and the exterior and simultaneouslyopen the aperture 27 connecting the recess 31 and the recess 26 topermit the air within the bellows to flow through the aperture 36 intothe recess 35 in the base member 20 and thence through the duct 33 andrecess 31 and aperture 27 and recess 26 and duct 28 into the chest 30.\Vhen the note sheet 16 again closes the aperture '14 the air within therecess 23 will flow through the bleed 47 and duct 28 into the chest 30to thus permit the diaphragm 25 and valve 42 to descend into theposition shown and thus permit air to flow into the bellows through theaperture 32, chamber 31', duct 33, duct 34, recess 35, and aperture 36.It will be understood, of course, that the flow of air from the bellowscauses the movable board 39 to rise and operate the hammer action andthat the flow of air into the bellows permits the lower board 39 to dropback to normal position ready for the succeeding action.

, My invention also contemplates means for quickly detachably securingthe pneumatic to the chest and in the embodiment of my invention hereinshown this means c0mprises a single spring metal strip 4L8 arranged toextend across the top of the pneumatic 11 and the chest 30, providedwith an aperture 49- to prevent the strip 48 from blocking the aperture32 in the cover member '22, provided atone end with a depend- 'ingcurved portion 50 arranged to embrace the chest 30, and provided at theother end with a depending portion 51 adapted to embrace the remote sideof the pneumatic 11.

It will be apparent that the securing means herein shown holds thepneumatic firmly and resiliently in position against the chest yetpermits ready removal of the pneumatic at Will.

It will be obvious from the above description that I have provided apneumatic of improved construction and particularly adapted for repairwork. It will also be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes in construction may be made without departing from thespirit of my invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof and it willtherefore be understood that my invention is not limited to the specificembodiment herein disclosed.

I claim:

In a piano player, a vacuum chest provided with a series of apertures, apneumatic arranged to have one end abut said chest and provided with aduct through 'said end arranged to register with one of said apertures,and with a vent emerging to atmosphere through the top of said pneumaticand a spring metal clip extending from the remote end of said pneumaticalong the top of said pneumatic over the end of said vent to beyond theabutting end thereof, apertured opposite the end of said vent to preventclosing said vent and engaging the remote side of said chest to quicklydetachably and resiliently hold said pneumatic in position firmlyabutting said chest.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

EARL R. SMI'IH.

